Chair and tray



Sept. 5, 1950 E. L- JOHNSON CHAIR AND TRAY Filed April 21, 1945 ATTORNE Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to high chairs or other types and kinds of chairs employing trays. More particularly, the invention deals with means for adjustably clamping and retaining a tray in one of a number of different positions with respect to the chair back and on side arms of a chair structure to control the position of the tray with respect to the occupant of the chair. Still more particularly, the invention deals with a structure of the kind defined; wherein the tray is quickly detachable from the chair to give access to the chair by an occupant.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of the upper portion of a chair construction showing the tray in two different positions in full and dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the chair, as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a section substantially on the line 66 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the central portion of the back of the chair showing the operating handle for the clamping mechanism employed.

While my invention is applicable to chairs or seats of any type and kind where it is desirable to adjustably support a tray or table member thereon or, in connection with side arm portions of the chair or seat, to illustrate one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown the same as applied to a high chair construction, in which use the adjustable properties provided for the tray will permit adjustments adapting the tray to abut snugly but comfortably against a child,

seat I] is a back-rest M, from the sides of which are arranged forwardly extending arms i5 preferably supported at their forward ends by rises l6. I

In the present construction, the outer surfaces of the arms l5 are provided with longitudinal grooves H, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing and also shown in side elevation in Fig. 3. These grooves are provided at longitudinal spaced intervals with notches or depressions I8, is and 2i] having rearwardly extended cam surfaces 25, 22 and 23; as both arms are of the same construction, the brief description of one will apply to both and, for this reason, only one arm is shown in detail.

At 2i is shown a tray or detachable member, to the lower surface of which, adjacent opposed sides, are secured channel strips 25, the flanges 26 of which are adapted to operate in the grooves I! preferably adjacent the upper walls 21 of the grooves. 1 Secured to the channel strips 25 are large shield plates 23 secured in position by screws 28. These plates are to form guards or shields protecting the grooves, at least the locking elements 35) arranged in the grooves, and will be substantially of the width or height illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing.

The elements 30 are in the form of elongated metal strips, each having a downwardly turned free end 3i adapted to operate upon the cam surface 2|, note Fig. 3. Each element also includes a downwardly extending rounded portion 32 adapted to operate upon the cam surface 22. The other end of the element is curled to form a bearing portion 33, note Fig. 5, adapted to receive a pivot pin 34 which also is secured in the bearing portion 35 of a link 36. The bearings'33 and 35 are adapted to ride over the cam surface 23. The link 36 constitutes an extension of each of the elements 38 and this link has at its end a bearing portion 37, in which is arranged one of the crank ends 38 of an operating rod 39. This rod is fashioned centrally to form an elongated handle member 42, as clearly seen in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

The rod 39 has a pivotal mounting in the backrest l4 and this mounting is formed by cutting a large transverse recess 4| across the back in which is fitted a strip 42, recessed as seen at 43, to form a bearing support for the rod 39. The strip 42 is held in position by screws .4 and this strip, as well as the back-rest H5, is recessed centrally, as seen at 45, to compensate for swinging movement of the handle member-in moving the same from its lowered operative position, shown 3 in full lines in Fig. 3, into its raised inoperative position, indicated in dotted lines in said figure.

In other words, when the handle member or lever 40 is in the downward position, the elements 30 are drawn rearwardly, moving the parts SI, 32 and 33 over the cam surfaces 2|, 22 and 23, forcing the elements against the flange 26 to firmly force or wedge this flange against the top wall 2'! of each of the arms. When in this position, it will be apparent that the bearing or axis of the bearing 31 is beyond a dead center position with respect to the aXis of the rod 39 and pin 34,, note Fig. 3. This retains the parts in a locked position; thus to release the elements, the links 36 must be swung in the opposite direction beyond the dead center position and, in this operation, the elements 30 are moved forwardly and downwardly, thus releasing the tray 24. When released, the tray is free to be moved in any desired position on the arms and may again be locked. On the other hand, the tray ma be completely detached from the arms by simply drawing the same forwardly through the front open ends of the slots [1, particularly before placing a child in the chair or removing the child from the chair. In some instances, the tray may be simply moved forward to what might be termed a fully extended position, in which position a child may be placed in or removed from the chair.

It will be apparent that the long extent of the flange 25, as well as the long bearing of the members 30 thereon, will provide a secure frictional clamping engagement which will dispense with the use of positive locking elements which could otherwise be provided. It will also be apparent that the construction herein disclosed provides a wide range of adjustment of the tray and detachment with respect to its support.

It is also preferred that the rear central portion of the tray include a downwardly projecting wall portion 66 cut out at its sides, as seen at 41' to give ample room for the legs of the occupant, the wall portion, at the same time, forming an abdominal support. While the particular contour of the rear edge of the tray as viewed in plan is not illustrated in the drawing, it is well known that this edge is usually concavely rounded and the member 46 will conform to this contour.

It will be apparent that the tra or table member 24 and its associated parts, comprising the channel strips 25 and depending elongated plates 28, comprise a unit which is completely detachable with respect to the chair or the arms thereof and this unit may be supported upon any surface by the supporting members 28 including the part 46. By reason of this construction, food may be gathered on a tray and then attached to a chair.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a chair having spaced side arms, .a tray for adjustable clamping and detachment with respect to said arms, said arms having longitudinal grooves along vertical faces thereof, longitudinally spaced cam surfaces formed in the grooves of said arms, the tray having depending horizontally directed flanges slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, and members movably supported in the grooves of said arms and having offset portions slidably engaging the cam surfaces to cause the memkers to clamp the flanges of said tray against the walls of the grooves in retaining the tray in different positions of adjustment on said arms.

2. In a chair having spaced side arms, a tray for adjustable clamping and detachment with respect to said arms, said arms having longitudinal grooves along vertical faces thereof, longitudinally spaced cam surfaces formed in the grooves of said arms, the tray having depending horizontally directed flanges slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, members movably supported in the grooves of said arms and having offset portions slidably engaging the cam surfaces to cause the members to clamp the flanges of said tray against the Walls of the grooves in retaining the tray in different positions of adjustment on said arms, and means comprising a single hand-operated lever for simultaneously actuating said members.

3. In a chair having spaced side arms, a tray for adjustable clamping and detachment with respect to said arms, said arms having longitudinal grooves along vertical faces thereof, longitudinally spaced cam surfaces formed in the grooves of said arms, the tray having depending horizontally directed flanges slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, members movably supported in the grooves of said arms and having offset portions slidabl engaging the cam surfaces to cause the members to clamp the flanges of said tray against the walls of the grooves in retaining the tray in different positions of adjustment on said arms, means comprising a single hand-operated lever for simultaneously actuating said members, and said last named means comprising a rod having crank ends and links coupled with said ends and the ends of said members.

a. In a chair having spaced side arms, a tray for adjustable clamping and detachment with respect to said arms, said arms having longitudinal grooves along vertical faces thereof, longitudinally spaced cam surfaces formed in the grooves of said arms, the tray having depending horizontally directed flanges slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, members movably supported in the grooves of arms and having offset portions slidably engaging the cam surfaces to cause the members to clamp the flanges of said tray against the walls of the grooves in retaining the tray in different positions of adjustment on said arms, means comprising a single hand-operated lever for simultaneously actuating said members, said last named means comprising a rod having crank ends and links coupled with said ends and the ends of said members, and said links being adapted to be supported beyond dead center position defined by the pivots of the links and lever in permanently retaining the members against movement when in operative position.

5. In a chair having spaced side arms, a tray for adjustable clamping and detachment with respect to said arms, said arms having longitudinal grooves along vertical faces thereof, longitudinally spaced cam surfaces formed in the grooves of said arms, the tray having depending horizontally directed flanges slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, members movably supported in the grooves of said arms and having offset portions slidably engaging the cam surfaces to cause the members to clamp the flanges of said tray against the walls of the grooves in retaining the tray in different positions of adjustment on said arms, means comp-rising a single hand operated lever for simultaneously actuating said members, said last named means comprising a rod having crank ends and links coupled with said ends and the ends of said members, said links being adapted to he supported beyond dead center position defined by the pivots of the links and lever in permanently retaining the members against movement when in operative position, the chair having a backrest, the crank rod being mounted in said back :est, and. means comprising a single strip arranged transversely of the back-rest for supporting the rod thereon.

6. In a chair having spaced arms, a table, means siidably mounting the table upon the arms of the chair to prevent vertical displacement of the table from said arms. means mounted on said chair independently or said table and operatively engaging said first named means for retaining the table in diiierent positions oi adjustment on the arms, said table being detachable with respect to the arms, said retaining means comprising members slidably engaging the arms and 00- operating With the table to secure the table in one of a number of diiierent positions on said arms, and a single manually operated element mounted at the rear of said chair and linked to said members for simultaneously actuating both of said members.

7. In a chair having spaced arms, a table, means slidably mounting the table upon the arms of the chair to prevent vertical displacement of the table from said arms, means mounted on said chair independently of said table and operatively engaging said first named means for retaining the table in different positions of adjustment on the arms, said table being detachable with respect to the arms, said retaining means comprising members sliolabiy engaging the arms and cooperating with the table to secure the table in one of a number of difierent positions on said arms, a single manually operated element mounted at the rear of said chair and linked to said members for simultaneously actuating both of said members, and said element retaining said members in operative position.

8. An attachment for chairs having a table slidably engaging spaced arms of the chair, wherein the arms have longitudinal grooves partially defined by spaced cam surfaces therein, said attachment comprising members slidably mounted in the grooves of said arms, said members having spaced projections operatively engaging the cam surfaces of said grooves in controlling movement of said members into operative and inoperative position with respect to table parts slidably engaging the grooves of said arms, a rod having crank ends disposed in alinement With said members, links coupling the crank ends with said members, and said rod having a handle member for actuating the cranks thereof to move said members into operative and inoperative position.

9. In a table having means for slidable mounting in spaced longitudinally grooved supports, a pair of members arranged within the grooves of said supports and movable longitudinally thereof in engaging said means, said members having projections spaced longitudinally thereof, the grooves of said supports having correspondingly spaced cam surfaces, the projections of said members operatively engaging the cam surfaces in movement of said members into operative and inoperative positions with respect to said means, the supports inciuding a part spacing said supports, and a manually actuated element mounted on said last named part and linked with said members for operating said members.

EVERARD L. J OHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

